The Fire Rebel
by ermack0010
Summary: On the way to Bai Sing Sai, Aang and Co. find a mysterious girl washed up on the beach. Her life, past and present is surrounded by war and hardship. The only question the group has is, can this girl be trusted?
1. Dreams

Chapter 1

Dreams

"Sire," Commander Zi hissed.

"What is it?" Fire Lord Azulan asked irritably. In his aging state he needed time to rest,and having a days worth of complaints didn't help to "sooth his soul" as the royal medicine man had said. But who needed them anyway? All they did was chant and mumble while dancing around, then prescribe more rest. Azulan may have been old, but he was still fire lord.

"We have brought back the survivors of the Illona rebel tribe," Commander Zi continued.

"And?" the elderly Fire Lord demanded.

"Um, sire, there was only _one_ survivor." This seemed to brighten the fire lord's gloomy outlook.

"You killed them all?" the fire lord asked hopefully. Knowing one of the many fire rebel tribes was gone seemed to add a flame of happiness to the elderly fire lord.

"Well, not exactly."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Fire Lord, we ambushed them at night and returned for survivors the next morning, and um, there was only one. The other survivors had fled, and had taken the deceased with them."

The flames that sheathed the fire lord rose in anger. It is a lowly mistake to wait after a battle, the rebels could have attacked back, not that Commander Zi and his troops would have been a _huge_ loss. The fire receded to its normal state as Azulan calmed himself.

"They must have taken off after the attack," Commander Zi continued. The once great leader narrowed his eyes at the commander. Zi hadn't notice the hundreds of people fleeing from a burning town?

Commander Zi shuddered as sweat trickled down his face. The elderly fire lord still terrified him.

"Bring in the survivor," Fire Lord Azulan muttered harshly. Commander Zi nodded at the faceless guards at the door. The metal masks stared back blankly and obediently bowed. They pulled aside the fire sash and two burly guards entered, dragging a small girl in their wake.

Fire Lord Azulan cocked a white eyebrow. The elderly leader had expected a strong man to be towed in. One who was too badly injured to leave with the other members of his tribe. Instead, there was a tiny girl no older then eight, surviving with only some minor burns and scratches. Azulan would have blamed this on the incompetence of the Commander, but seeing as only this one girl was here, he had reason to doubt that.

Fire Lord Azulan stroked his beard as the guards pushed the rebel-girl to her knees. She was the same age as Zuko, he pondered. The girl's eyes were the color of fire, and just as glowing. Pure hatred radiated from her pours and streaks through the ash on her face showed where she had been crying.

"What is your name?" the fire lord asked. The girl sat there, hunched over and tensed. Her shoulders trembled, yet she did not answer. "I just want to know you're name," the old man smiled, seeing as you get more out of children when you are nice. The girl didn't answer. The fire lord was in no mood to ask again. The fire surrounding his golden throne grew with impatience and the guards backed away. They prodded the child's back with the end of a spear. She bowed her head.

"Where are my parents?" she mumbled.

"What was that?" Azulan asked irritably.

"Where are my parents?" the girl stood and shouted at the top of her lungs. The candles on the walls shivered with her anger, and even the fire surrounding Azulan quivered. Instantly, the guards grabbed the girl's wrists, and pulled her down.

"Take her to the maid's quarters!" the fire lord boomed. "We'll see if she can learn her place."

The girl was led away, kicking and screaming. The elderly fire lord's face was contorted into shrieking laughter, fire surrounding him. Then, just like that, there was blackness. Complete and utter blackness. A blue lightning bolt streaked down the center, illuminating the darkness, and for a split second, a boy's face was there. He was sixteen and clad in fire rebel armor. He smiled and then faded away and all that was left was the memory of him.

It seemed that all there were in this world were nothing but memories, and that was what hurt the most.


	2. Closer

Alrighty, so how'd you like my first chapter? I would have added little footnotes to that chapter, but my computer was acting funky so I just uploaded it. I just wanted to add that this story takes place after The Desert (I guess some people guessed that already.) Basically, it will revolve around all the main characters and some of my OC's which should come up in the next chapter or so. Just to let you know this story will mostly revolve around the ships Katara/Aang, Sokka/Ty Lee, and Zuko/Mai for the most part. I'm not saying it will be full blown romance, but just suttle flirting and stuff. Alright, chapter 2!

* * *

Aang looked over the expanse of desert he had just left behind, and tears once more began to fill his eyes. It was night once more and like before, Aang was the only one up. He hadn't slept in over two days. Yes he was tired, but whenever Aang's eyes fluttered shut, his great flying bison was all that he saw. They were nearing the coast now, and even though the desert that was still miles away it looked vast and full of pain. He curled up into a ball as Momo crawled onto his side. Aang pet the flying lemur's ears and slowly closed his eyes.

"Aang?" Katara voice soothed itself into the sounds of the night quietly and inconspicuously. It was like her voice had become part of the night itself. Aang sat up to see the young waterbending master sitting up as well, staring over at him.

"Hi," Aang muttered, lying back on his side.

"How are you doing?" Katara asked standing up and walking over the wooden boards of the sand boat to sit next to Aang.

"Me?" Aang asked quizzically. "I'm just fine." Aang flipped over to his other side, with his back facing Katara.

"Listen, I know you think Toph is responsible for this, but she had to make a tough choice." Aang slammed his eyes shut; he didn't want to hear this. "It was either save Appa from the sand benders and let us sink, or let us live and-"

"Let the sand benders take Appa away," Aang cut in sharply. Katara bit her lip and put a hand on Aang's shoulder.

"Please, just, can you just understand that she's going through a lot, don't blame her for everything." Aang felt the water bender's presence leave, and quietly, he looked over at Toph. The earthbender was sleeping silently, yet her face was contorted into sadness and pain. Aang felt ashamed for blaming this all on her, but Appa was all he had that brought him closer to his own home, back to when the world wasn't in this war, and everyone could be happy. Aang shut his eyes and fell asleep. They were closer to Appa, and that was what really mattered.

Princess Azula folded her arms and stared out over the dusty, puny Earth Kingdom town down below her. It looked run down, and filled with hungry, dirty people milling around. _I bet they all have rabies, _Azula thought darkly. Ty Lee and Mai stepped next to her.

"What a cute little town," Ty Lee smiled in her most optimistic tone. Mai grunted in slight agreement, staring down over the town with an unchanging face.

"But does it have to be so hot?" Mai grumbled wiping her bangs up over her forehead, only to have it fall back in a big swoop.

"Well, maybe if you didn't wear so many layers you wouldn't be so hot silly head!" Ty Lee giggled.

"The more layers I wear the more weapons I can conceal," Mai retorted, lifting her sleeves up, reveling bracelets of small blades and knives. Ty Lee gulped, while Azula aloud herself a smile.

"Come along," Azula stated walking down the hill. Mai couldn't help thinking that Azula treated herself and Ty Lee as pets. She saw the fear in Ty Lee's eyes whenever Azula came near her. It was terrible. "There have been rumors of boys with scars and fat old men in this town," Azula smiled as Ty Lee and Mai got into step beside her.

As the trio got closer to the town, many of the buildings came into focus. They were all small and all stone. Azula's nose wrinkled in disgust. "Maybe someone in the bars can give us a hint," Mai suggested.

"They're all drunks," Azula grunted.

"Oh, how cute! A flower shop!" Ty Lee smiled nearly dancing over to the small shop. She plucked a pink hibiscus from one of the pots and stuck it behind her ear and giggled.

"Hey, what's this?" Mai asked aloud picking up a small circular piece of stone from the ground.

"Looks like a Lotus Tile," Ty Lee said meandering next to Mai. Azula let her lips curl up slightly once more; today was definitely amusing. She looked at her two friends, utter opposites, standing beside each other and examining a Pi Sho piece.

"My uncle favored the Lotus Tile," Azula added plucking the small piece of stone from Mai's hands. "I believe we're getting close."

* * *

you know, I just relized I'm submitting this at like 12:30 at night, so I'm a little tired. But eh...tell me how you liked chapter 2! Some action should be coming up in a few chapters, it just might be a little slow in the beggining. One of my OC is coming up in the next chapter, so r&r and I'll try and post ASAP. 


	3. The Girl From the Ocean

I've actually had this chapter writen for a few days, but I've been too lazy to upload it. I've been busy too with band camp, swimming, and all that good stuff. So here's chapter 3..yay!

* * *

Toph stared blankly out onto the ocean. She hated boat rides nearly as much as she hated flying. The constant rocking of the boat caused her to loose her all-so important footing, thus causing her to usually loose the vibrations needed to navigate and usually smacked into walls. Sokka seemed to find this quite amusing. Toph felt the quivering sea under her feet and closed her eyes (not that it made a difference) and felt all the life forms scurrying and swimming through the choppy waters. Toph had never been that good at swimming. 

Suddenly she heard footsteps echoing through the wooden boards. This was a little game Toph liked to play when she had been bored. She listened carefully to the footsteps and rid herself of every sense of knowing what was around her, so as not to 'see' the face of the oncoming person.

The footsteps were light, and didn't seem to hit the boards at all, making them seem almost weightless. _Aang, _Toph thought. She always remembered one thing; sounds. Footsteps being one of the many. Sokka's were hard heavy, Katara's were quick and flirty, her mother and father's were always so quiet yet reassuring, an Earthbender's were always hard and rooted, while the young Avatar's were light and almost unnoticeable. She let her feet once more send shockwaves into the hull of the boat and the Aang's face came into focus. Toph smiled.

"Hey," Toph muttered.

"Um, hi," Aang answered.

"What's up?"

"Nothing really," Aang answered shrugging.

"No, really what's up? Like any birds or anything?" Toph asked. Why must she always be so literal?

"Oh, um birds?" Aang wondered looking up. "There's some crow-gulls." Aang looked up to see the greasy black and white birds of the sea. One cawed before swooping down into the ocean and bringing a small fish out. It gulped it down in one bite. Aang grimaced.

"So, why are you here?" Toph asked looking down into the ocean. It felt like a quivering goopy mess, so she turned her attention back to Aang.

"Actually I want to talk to you," Aang muttered.

"Yeah?" Toph urged.

"About Appa."

"Oh," Toph turned her head away from Aang. "I didn't mean to."

"I know you didn't," Aang reassured. Toph cocked an eyebrow. The last few days he had refused to talk to her, now here he is all happy-Avatar, trying to make things right, figures. "It's just that," Aang started. "I was mad, that's all. Appa is all I have that I can tie back to my home. He's all I've got that reminds me of the simpler days."

"What about Momo?" Toph wondered. The flying lemur who was sun bathing on the deck looked up at the mention of his name, then slowly curled back into a ball. Aang laughed in that carefree way of his.

"Him too," Aang smiled. "It's just that, Appa is my animal guide, without him I feel so, so-"

"Lost," Toph cut in.

"Yes," Aang agreed. "Lost." Toph sighed. "I just want you to know that you had to make a hard decision in the dessert, and that you made the right one."

Toph smiled slightly. "Thanks."

"We needed to go to Ba Sing Se anyway," Aang smirked. "Now we can have a whole new set of adventures." Toph nodded in agreement.

"Young avatar," the head-sand bender approached Aang and bowed. "The ship is about to come into port. A direct boat to Ba Sing Se should arrive in about three days. It would have arrived sooner, but there was a sever storm down south. I am still sorry for the grief my son has caused you. And I am also sorry that my tribe and I cannot accompany you the whole way but, we have already been away from the sand too long and must return."

Aang nodded and said, "Thank you for taking us this far."

"It is my duty."

As if on cue the rickety boat came to a halt in front of a large port and began unloading supplies. Sokka and Katara met up with the two twelve-year-olds and walked into the sea-side town as if lead was in their hearts.

"I dunno, it just doesn't seem right without the big fluffy guy," Sokka muttered. The others nodded.

"I really didn't know you cared," Katara added with a smirk.

"Hey, well, if it wasn't for that guy, you and I would still be stranded on that iceberg in the South Pole," Sokka grumbled. Katara giggled.

"So true," she muttered.

"C'mon, we better check into a lodge or something. The boat to Ba Sing Se doesn't come for another three days or so," Aang said.

"Three days?" Sokka groaned. "What are we going to do in a beach town for three days?" All three of the group members and Momo looked over at Sokka as if he had just grown a second head.

"You're kidding right?" Toph said.

Sokka stared blankly into space and if a timer was ticking and he had to wait for the ping for things to register. "Oh yeah, right," the water tribe boy smiled and blushed at his own stupidity.

"You guys go have fun and I'll check in," Toph offered. "I've gotten enough sand for one week thank you."

"Suit yourself," Sokka said. With that Katara, Sokka, and Toph headed toward the ocean while Toph headed into town.

As the sea began to crash over the white sandy beach, Katara poised herself just right with her hands above her head and diverted the water from the oncoming wave onto the sand wear Sokka was tanning. When the water receded Sokka was sitting up with his "wolf-tail" askew and his cheeks filled with water. He spit the water out and took off his shirt and walked over to their fire pit and made a make-shift clothesline out of a branch. He slung the wet shirt over the branch.

"Why do _you _two always play with you're magic elements and _I'm _the one who gets wet?" Sokka asked looking over at Katara and Aang laughing. "Oh har, har," Sokka grumbled crossing his arms. Suddenly a big wave came down and crashed over Katara and Aang. They looked at each other and laughed at themselves. Sokka laughed too.

"Well, I think that's enough practice for one day," Katara smiled slipping her dress off over her head and hanging it over the fire next to Sokka's shirt. Aang too took his shirt off and hung it up to dry.

"Ah, you see," Sokka smiled as all three friends laid down on the warm sand. "This is what a vacation is all about."

"Hey, where's Momo?" Aang asked sitting back up.

"Oh come on! We just begin to relax and that stupid lemur runs off," Sokka grumbled. Katara rolled her eyes at her pessimistic brother.

"Come on," Katara said standing up. "We'll help you look for him."

"We will?" Sokka grumbled. Katara yanked her brother's hand and pulled him to his feet. "We'll split up and meet back here in a couple of minutes. Momo wouldn't go far." Aang nodded and the three set off down the beach.

Aang had only been walking for a few minutes before he spotted Momo on the jetty holding a fish in his hands. He went to go take a bite of it when the fish flopped out of his hands and back into the water. Momo hissed angrily.

"Hey Momo!" Aang smiled walking up next to his furry friend. "You scared me for a second." Momo let Aang pet his head for a few seconds before jumping into his master's arm. Aang smiled and snuggled Momo until suddenly the flying lemur stood up and began hissing again. "What's wrong boy?" Aang asked following the lemur's emerald gaze. Aang looked until his eyes landed on the body of a girl that had washed up on the beach. Aang gasped and bent down to look at her.

She was unconscious and a deathly pale color. Her black kimono was worn from the salt; making it look gray. She looked too heavy for Aang to carry himself, so without hesitation Aang got up and ran with airbending assistance to his camp, with Momo following.

* * *

OK, the main OC has come into the story! She will be formally introduced and, um, conscious in the next chapter so be on the lookout! 


	4. Jay

I would have updated earlier, but due to a very nasty comment that made me feel like utter crap, i put this off for a while. Sure, I don't care if you hate this story, but if think I wasted you're time by you reading this, atleast give me _constructive _critisism instead of juist going on about how much i suck ok? But, I decided to post though, seeing as i have nothing else to do today. I might write another chapter too, I'm really bored, so just go with me people.

* * *

Zuko stood up and stretched out his back. His clothes were nearly soaked and his hair had dirt and pieces of flower root in it. "Who knew sitting in a flower pot for nearly two days could make you get so cramped?" Iroh smiled cracking his back and sitting on a rock. Zuko looked sadly over at his uncle. He had never actually thought of him as _old _before. Sure, the banished prince had seen his uncle in his worst state of depression after Lu Ten died, but Uncle Iroh had always stood tall and fought strong. Now, the old man looked nearly crippled. Yet, Zuko knew his uncle still had strength inside of him.

As Iroh got up to thank his old friend, Zuko plopped himself down among the sparse grass and looked up at the sky. It was a light washed out blue on the horizon, but as you gazed upward, the blue got deeper and richer. It was like a painting. Although, Zuko thought about all the art he had seen when he was young and it seemed that no painted sky ever matched this. Even the most skilled artists couldn't match the perfect color blue of the sky.

"You know, if you stare at the sun too long your eyes might burn," Iroh smiled offering the reigns of the chocobo.

"I was just, looking up at the sky," Zuko muttered embarrassed snatching the reins of the large ostrich horse. Iroh smiled as his nephew helped him onto the bird.

"Just keep heading north," The flower merchant stated. "There is a town not too far from here. There, you can find many people who can give you more detailed directions to Ba Sing Se. You will be safe there."

"Thank you," Iroh smiled as Zuko dug his heels into the sides of the chocobo and it sprang forward in long galloping strides. So, now he was a fugitive, doomed to live in the slums of an Earth Kingdom city while his sister took what should be his; the Fire Nation. Zuko bit the inside of his cheek at the thought and urged the bird-horse on. He would return home and take the throne, no matter what it took.

"Come on, set her down by the fire," Katara instructed the boys as they carried the unconscious girl from the ocean to their fire pit. Aang and Sokka set her down and just stared at her for a minute. She was still deathly pale from lack of oxygen, and was covered in scratches from the pounding sea.

Sokka looked down at his hands and noticed with horror that one was covered in blood. "Um, guys," Sokka whispered, his voice cracking.

"Sokka what's wrong with your hand?" Aang asked.

"I don't know, it's the girl's blood," Sokka muttered. Katara sat down by the girl's side and rolled up one of her sleeves. There was a long gash that ran down her forearm, from which deep crimson blood oozed from. Katara winced and took water from her satchel and bent the water over the wound. Instantly the skin began to mesh together, healing the wound. Katara then poised her hands over the girl's chest and began leading the sea water out of her lungs. It came out in a big glob and instantly, the girl sat up and began coughing and gasping for air. Katara backed away and Sokka took out his machete and held it by his side.

The girl coughed several times before looking around and noticing Aang, Katara, and Sokka. She gasped and tried to stand, but failed and fell back down.

"No, no, it's Ok," Katara promised kneeling beside the girl. "We won't hurt you." The girl looked around panting, as if she had woken up from a bad dream.

"Where am I?" the girl uttered. Her voice sounded so small, and tense.

"You're in a small Earth Kingdom fishing town," Aang explained, sitting beside the girl. Suddenly, Sokka edged beside everyone like a snake and began bopping her head with the end of his machete.

"Sokka!" Katara said, snatching her brother's weapon from his hand.

"What? We don't know who this girl is, and here we are making buddies with her!" Sokka shouted in outrage.

"She's only been conscious for two minutes and you've already sized her up!" Katara yelled.

"Hey, I'm just being safe!" Sokka shouted. "Besides, she has _red _wristbands!" Katara and Aang looked bewildered at the water tribe boy. "You know _red? _Color of the fire nation? The same Fire Nation that started this war and is chasing us?" Katara and Aang looked over at the girl who was just taking this in with a blank expression. She rolled up her sleeves slightly and sure enough, red ribbons wound their way up from her wrists to about an inch away from her elbow.

"I bought them from a Fire Nation Fugitive on my boat. I just got them because they were a good price. I train in them," the girl explained pulling her long black hair away from her amber-colored eyes. She tied her hair into a low pony tail with a purple ribbon from her pocket. "My name's Jay," the girl added.

* * *

sorry for the ubber shortness, another chapter should be here eventually. I akso think some things will come to light by the next chapter or so, so yay! and i'm sorry for the lack of action and stuff, but i promise that there will be some soon!

oh and disclamer: I don't own avatar, or the characters, sadly they all own me...seriously bad trade if you ask me. but i do own all my OC characters, that makes it better :


	5. Traveler's Stories

"Jay?" Sokka muttered, muttered, abusing the girl's name. Katara elbowed her ignorant brother in the stomach.

"I'm sorry for my brother. He's just and idiot," Katara said eyeing Sokka. Sokka smiled innocently.

"Oh, me? I'm the idiot? Who was it who made us "help Aang?" and drive me half way around the world and back!" Sokka added.

"Now that was my fault now was it?" Katara retorted. The siblings continued bickering while Aang turned his attention back to Jay. She looked weak, and tired.

"Don't mind them," Aang muttered to her.

"Sibling love, pure and simple" Jay laughed.

Aang laughed too. "The water girl is Katara, and her brother is Sokka. I'm Aang!" Aang smiled ear to ear and bowed. Jay bowed in turn.

"Pleased to meet you young Avatar," Jay said while the edges of her mouth tipped upward.

"Huh?" Sokka asked, getting in on Jay and Aang's conversation.

"How'd you know that Aang was the Avatar?" Katara asked.

"His wanted poster is on nearly every post in the southern Earth Kingdom," Jay explained. "I mean, how many times do you see twelve-year-olds with arrows on their head and orange robes?" Aang looked down at his bright orange and yellow robes and blushed. Jay giggled a bit and coughed up some more water.

"So where are you from?" Sokka asked sitting down. Jay paused before answering.

_Memories are what hurt the most…_Jay thought. She closed her eyes, not wanting to think about that. She needed trust, right now, not enemies. "I was born in the eastern earth kingdom. Or at least I think I was. My town was ambushed when I was only eight by the fire nation. Both my parents were killed and I was taken prisoner by the fire nation. I worked as a maid in the palace until I was twelve," Jay explained.

"Wait, so you _did _grow up in the Fire Nation," Sokka said.

"It's not like I ever left the palace. I was treated like a slave for four years," Jay added.

"But you were in the Fire Nation palace?" the water warrior smiled.

"Yes. I probably know it better then Fire Lord Ozai himself," Jay muttered darkly.

"So if you were to, I don't know, lead an ambush, or something…could you lead us to the Fire Lord unnoticed?" Sokka asked innocently. Jay laughed lightly.

"Yeah, probably."

"You know, I think I like this girl," Sokka whispered to Katara and Aang. They both rolled their eyes.

"But you're not twelve anymore, how'd you get here?" Katara asked. Once again, Jay paused before answering.

"I was twelve when I realized that if I wanted to avenge my parents, and maybe make a difference in the world, I would have to escape the fire nation and go back to my old tribe. After that attack when I was little, my tribe became nomadic. I escaped the palace in the middle of the night.

"I managed to make it to the Earth Nation and to my tribe. I had secretly trained in fighting under the fire lord's nose, and when I made it to my tribe I continued to learn," Jay paused and seemed to disappear into her memories. Pictures of the members of her tribe flashed before her eyes; snapshots of her life. Jay shut her eyes and continued.

"I lived with my tribe for two and a half years, and when I was fourteen, I was able to join a group of new recruits. I accepted and joined the army. We trained outside my tribe hard and strong for another two years. We were on our way to Ba Sing Se to meet up with another division and our boat hit a storm. Apparently, I got knocked overboard, and well, here I am."

"Wow," Aang muttered. "That's a lot to go through in sixteen years."

Jay nodded. "There's more details to that story, but my life could fill a library," she uttered, looking of into the distance.

"Don't say library," Katara muttered. Jay cocked an eyebrow.

"Don't ask," Sokka said. Jay nodded.

"Well," Jay muttered. "I guess I better get going. I have to go to Ba Sing Se and find my division."

"Well, we're going to Ba Sing Se too, maybe you could tag along," Katara offered.

"Katara!" Sokka hissed so as not to be heard by Jay. "All we've heard is a mini-summary of this girl's _tragic life_ and you trust her? She could be a fire nation spy for all we know!"

"Sokka, no one can come up with a life that terrible on the spur of the moment!" Katara retorted.

"Maybe she's a good liar," Sokka suggested. Katara shot her brother an evil glare.

"Have faith in people will you?" the water master asked standing up and leaning against a tree by Aang.

"Thank you for the offer," Jay smiled humbly. "But, I'm going to travel through the country and visit some sites, maybe find my tribe and travel with them for a while before returning to battle."

"Well, at least stay with us until our boat leaves, you're pretty banged up," Aang offered.

"Thanks, I could handle a comfy bed," Jay smiled. With support on Aang and Katara, Jay was able to stand and take a few steps before being able to walk slowly and painfully on her own.

"We better get back to Toph," Sokka said folding his arms.

"Who's Troph?" Jay asked. Katara and Aang giggled lightly, keeping it all a secret from the oblivious traveler.

"You'll find out soon enough," Aang smiled as the four continued into town.

"Azula, what does a stupid Pi Sho piece have to do with your uncle and brother?" Mai asked hesitantly. You had careful from what you said with the young princess. Her temper went off faster then a fire dog on hangs-men day.

Azula eyed her gothic, knife-happy friend. "Do you have reason to doubt me Mai?" the fifteen fire prodigy asked. Mai opened her mouth and then closed it again.

"No Azula," Mai muttered tucking both her hands in her sleeves. Azula smirked satisfied.

"My uncle always kept most of his life secret from me and Zuzu after Lu Ten died. From me especially," Azula said, whipping a stray hair back into place. "That only made me want to find out more about him."

"So you spied on your own uncle?" Ty Lee asked amazed. Azula shot the circus girl a fiery glance. Ty Lee shrunk back.

"So, I _observed _him," Azula said shooting another fire-ridden stare at Ty Lee. Azula twiddled the Pi Sho piece in between her fingers.

"The Organization of the White Lotus," a middle-aged man with hair the color of chestnut stepped out of the shadow's and faced the three fire-children.

Azula and the others eyed the man suspiciously.

"My cousin's are members…as are the people you're looking for," the man smiled, as did Azula.

* * *

Alrighty...sorry for lack of chapters, I've been a bit uncreative. XP If I'm up to it, I might get another few chapters up today...but no promisses. So...some things have come to light about Jay eh?Seem's she's got something to hide...but what? you will all find out later! keep r&r-ing people and i'll keep posting!


	6. Information

ok...I would post this in the morning, but seeing as i've gotten so many lovely coments, I just had to ;P. and seriosly...if i didn't have anything to post at 1:20 at the morning...what would I do with myself? I would be e-mailing my friends...and that wouldn't be very pretty.

anyway...here's chapter 6! wow...this is already chapter SIX! i really think i need to add more to chapters if I'm going to add all that i wanted to add. kay, enough of my rambling, chapter six!

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"Listen to me you buck-toothed idiot! I'm with the Avatar, and if you don't get me that room he'll go all….all AIRBENDY on you!" Toph shrieked, her nose barely coming up over the edge of the reception table. The lanky man sitting behind the sanded down table stared down at the little blind girl demanding a room and laughed at her face.

"I'm sorry child, but I only offer rooms to _adults!_" the receptionist smiled.

Toph shrieked and sprung off the stone floor and went to go knock the man in the face, but he sent a stone wall around him at the last second and Toph was flung to the ground.

She stood up for another go, but she heard Katara call her name behind her.

"Toph?" Katara asked coming up beside the young earthbender. "What's up?"

"This _retarded freak _refuses to give me a room!" Toph yelled jumping up to take another hit at the man. Sokka grabbed her be the back of her shirt.

"Come on Toph, we can find somewhere else to stay," Sokka offered.

"It was the same with all the other places," Toph grumbled.

"Well, maybe I can talk to him," Aang offered smiling.

Toph rolled her eyes; the young avatar was all for seeing the good in people.

"Listen," Aang smiled standing in front of the desk. "I'm the Avatar, and my friend's and I are just looking for a place to stay until our boat comes in a few days.

"And I said I don't care if you're the fire lord's daughter, you're not getting a room!" the receptionist yelled. Aang frowned and looked away confused. "Unless one of you is over the age of sixteen, you don't get a room."

Jay stepped forward. "I'm sixteen." The receptionist looked a little taken aback.

"Well then, I guess I will have to see some identification," the man muttered. Jay began to stutter.

"Hey, um, listen, I really don't have any identification on me," Jay muttered. The receptionist laughed.

"No identification; no service," the man behind the desk smirked, turning around to adjust some crooked pictures. Jay turned around and began to walk away, when a sharp jabbing pain entered into her foot. She spun around to see the man behind the desk smirking smugly; his hands posed in an indiscrete bending pose. Jay walked back over to the desk and crossed her arms over the edge and smiled.

"Hey um," Jay looked over at the receptionist's name carved onto a plaque, "Rayon."

Rayon turned around to face Jay. "What?" he asked irritably.

Jay opened her mouth as if she was about to say something, then closed it again, and looked into the corner of the room intently. Rayon looked as well. Jay continued staring then put all her weight onto the desk in front of her and flipped herself around and kicked the man hard in the cheek. She then alighted onto the ground once more and crossed her arms back onto the desk.

Sokka, Katara, Aang, and Toph stared at the girl in amazement.

_This girl could barely stand a minute ago, and now she's doing flips and punching out people! _Sokka thought. _She's stronger then she's letting on._

Jay smiled as Rayon turned toward her with a bright smile, his cheek bright pink. "Welcome to our town young Avatar and friends. I hope you will find you're stay quite enjoyable…and free of charge!"

"Um, thanks I guess," Aang muttered.

"You can take the first two rooms on either side of the hallway," Rayon continued smiling. Jay bowed while she and the others headed toward the hallway. Jay looked downward and saw a piece of the floor spike upward while she sidestepped.

"Did you really have to do that?" Katara muttered when they had entered the dimly lit hallway. Jay leaned against the wall and picked up her throbbing foot.

Jay looked on the bottom and saw the sharp piece of rock embedded in her arch where thick crimson blood oozed slowly from. "Yes," she muttered pulling the rock out.

"That guy's a total jerk," Toph muttered. Leaning on the wall beside Jay. "Hey who are you anyway?"

"Oh, right, I'm Jay. My ship hit a storm down south and I fell overboard."

"Toph," the Blind Bandit smiled turning toward Jay. Jay looked down at the little twelve-year-old and smiled. Then she saw Toph's gray, almost white eyes. They were unmoving, and unobserving. Jay bit her lower lip and turned away immediately. "Hey I might be blind, but it doesn't mean I can't see."

Jay lifted an eyebrow in confusion.

"I see with my feet. I feel the vibrations in the ground and I can see everything. No need to give me special treatment," Toph explained.

"Oh," Jay muttered.

"So, you a bender?" the little tomboy asked. Jay shook her head.

"No, I just fight with my hands, when someone gives me the need to."

"We saw that back there," Sokka said gesturing to Rayon at the reception desk. Jay grunted in response.

"Hey listen," Jay muttered. "I'm a little bit tired after…everything. I hope I'm not imposing on you all by staying with the girls. I promise that I'll be out of your hair in a few days."

"Don't worry about it!" Aang smiled modestly rubbing his arrow.

Jay bowed and smiled. "Thank you for you're hospitality," and walked through the door to a bed before passing out on it.

"C'mon, let's head out and get some fresh air," Toph said while the others followed.

----

Mai fought the sleep from her eyes as their lead to the avatar continued droning. She gazed over at Ty Lee and saw the young acrobat sitting in the back of her chair twirling her bangs around her fingers. Even Azula seemed to find this talk rather boring. Mai sat back in the creaking oak chair and fingered several of her spears while the ongoing chatter continued.

"You see, there were these middle-aged folks at a resort in the desert. Both were expert earthbenders, one was muscular, while the other was lanky and skinny. I believe both men had black hair…or was it more of a chestnutty color? I don't remember," the traveler continued.

"Please," Azula barked. Ty Lee and Mai both perked up. Azula had never uttered the word _please_; even when she said it in an irritated manor.

"I don't care about the colors of two earthbender's hair. I can roast you from the inside out in less then two seconds! Now tell me where either my brother or the avatar is or you will find out what it's like to be a smoked ham!" the fire princess shrieked. The traveler gulped.

"Um, the two earthbenders saw the scar-boy and an elderly man enter a resort int the desert, and they caused a riot by saying that they had a price on their head. The fugitives came into this town here. They were seen entering a small flower shop. The same flower shop where you found the lotus tile, and indecently, where the white lotus club meets. The fugitives never came out. Instead, two very large flowers were taken, and they were taken into the desert," the man said. "I do not know where they went."

Azula narrowed her eyes and sent a wave of fire into the floor, sizzling the man's bare feet. He moaned painfully.

"But, I've heard rumor's about the avatar," the traveler continued, pressing his luck. Azula's fiery gaze let up. "I've heard that he and his friends were seen boarding a ship. The nearest port besides the one a few miles off is a day's trip up north by boat to a small fishing town."

Azula's fingers glowed bright blue and the traveler began to sweat profusely. "Please, that's all I've heard!" he yelled. "I can show you on a map!" The man rummaged around in a bag and pulled out a scroll. He unrolled it quickly and marked a town by the sea with a quill. "He-here," he stuttered, offering the shabby parchment.

Smugly satisfied, Azula snatched the scroll from the man's hand and stood up and strutted off. She snapped her finger's irritably to beckon Ty Lee and Mai to follow. They stood and walked out of the bar in Azula's shadow; like obedient dogs to a master.

Once outside, the master firebender let a smile cascade eerie shadow's over her face.

"Girl's I believe we're going to the beach," Azula cooed.

"Oh I just love the beach!" Ty Lee squealed. "It always so calm and beautiful!"

"I doubt this will be much of a vacation," Azula smirked. She turned on her heel and walked away from the city, happy to be rid of the grime.

Back at the bar, the traveler stepped outside to watch the powerful girls walk away, his feet blistered and red.

"You know," an elderly man stepped beside him. "I think that girl's a firebender!" The traveler rolled his eyes and stepped back into the bar.

_Maybe a nice cold drink could get my mind off my feet…_the man thought.


	7. Warning Signals

decided to post something during the day for once...

----

Jay stared out over the water. Orange and pinks meshed with the crystal clear blue, a perfect reflection of the setting sun. Jay closed her eyes and saw her last conscious moments in front of her once again.

_Running out onto deck far past midnight, seeing the rain hitting the ship in sheets. Her people, rummaging around like fruit flies attacking peaches on a hot summer day. She remembered gripping the edge of the railing, and staring out onto the wild sea. She saw a bright streak of white lightning hitting the deck just behind her, throwing her into the ocean, and being pushed deeper and deeper into the deaths until her last breath left her, as did her consciousness._

"'Scuse me miss?" Jay snapped out of her hypnotic trance and stared into the face of an elderly man, his face ran raw from the sea breeze. Jay blinked a few times until everything came into focus.

"Um, yeah?" Jay asked.

"I need to see my crab catch," the fisherman said.

"Right," Jay muttered standing with support on a wooden beam. She watched intently as the fisherman hoisted the slimy rope out of the water with the crab cage attached to the end. Small blue crabs scuttled inside, and on the sides. But one thing was off.

"That's some crab!" Sokka's always ravenous hunger smiled. He stepped up beside Jay with his sister in tow. Aang and Toph had gone off to practice some bending skills. Jay scrutinized the sea-weed covered thing snagged on the edge of the cage. The fisherman pulled the thing off, removing the sea-weed as he did so.

"That looks like…"

"My bag!" Jay smiled happily, cutting into Katara.

"You're bag?" The fisherman chortled. "If I had one copper piece for everything people said was theirs that I found, I could retire to the country with my wife!"

"No, seriously, that's my bag. All the stuff from the storm must be drifting this way," Jay muttered.

Katara and Sokka looked off into the distance, expecting to see another body floating down the sea.

"Oh really?" the fisherman smirked, dropping the crabs rather hastily in the water. "I found it so it's mine, unless you can tell me what's in it!"

Jay groaned, while the fisherman looked rather smug.

"Ok, that bag should have roughly three very sodden and useless scrolls, two sketch books, about ten or so maps, a very overused pair of sandals, an accumulation of about one silver and five bronze pieces, a quill, some clothes, a hairbrush, a telescope, and some wanted posters," Jay rattled off in one breath. The fisherman looked baffled. "Oh and two gold clips my mother gave to me."

"I, um, well," the fisherman stuttered. He abruptly handed the soggy bag to Jay and turned off to retrieve his other catches.

"How'd you remember all that?" Sokka asked as the three traveled off the dock.

"That wasn't even all of it, only the things I knew I put in there," Jay answered taking out two glittering beads from a pouch. She pulled out two strands of hair from her ponytail and clipped the beads around them. Jay smiled and placed the wet bag over her shoulder.

Sokka looked warily between his sister and the newcomer and recounted on how much they looked like one another. He laughed to himself before staring down at the black bag beside Jay's side and compared it to his.

"Hey, yours is bigger then mine! How do you find all the stuff to put in it?" Sokka asked. Jay thought about it for a minute before answering.

"Dunno, I just put in whatever I find, or want," Jay shrugged.

The three meandered through the town as the sun sank lower and lower in the early spring sky. Soon, the sun was down and the moon rose. Sokka felt a slight pang of remorse as he saw the white ball of earth rise higher and higher into the blackened sky. He closed his eyes to rid himself of those thoughts, but it was to no use. Pictures of the time he spent with the water princess before her death flashed over and over. He moaned and turned his attention back towards the girls.

Katara sensed her brother's pain. She sensed it every time the moon rose and sank in the sky. She knew it every time Sokka whimpered, or whispered in his sleep. She felt it in that sort of sibling bond she regrettably shared with him. Though sometimes, she felt that Aang knew it too.

Jay looked off into the sky and felt as the sun disappeared far beyond view and muttered something to herself and looked off to the town shops as one by one they lit candles to fight the darkness away. She also saw a rather smug Toph and a weathered Aang coming towards them.

Aang couldn't have looked worse. His robes were torn, and his skin was battered and cut.

"Hi Aang," Katara smiled cheerfully. Aang moaned and slumped against a tree.

"He's getting somewhere," Toph muttered crossing her arms and studying her student.

Jay looked up at the night sky and sighed. "Pretty moon," she breathed. Katara and Aang tensed up and looked over at Sokka. He looked up and nodded.

"Yep, fascinating," Toph muttered sarcastically, making herself a seat out of stone.

"Oh, right," Jay sighed forgetting Toph's blindness. She returned her gaze to the moon. "Its like it's smiling," Jay continued. Sokka nodded again.

"The moon smiling," Sokka muttered with a laugh. He pictured Yue sitting up in the spirit world, smiling down on them.  
----

Toph awoke the next morning with a yawn. She was still tired, but rested all the same. These beds were no goose down. She 'saw' Katara sitting up as well picking up her water pouch from the base of the bed. Toph noticed that Jay was absent from her bed once again.

"She's down with the sun and up with the sun," Katara smirked.

"That's kinda weird if you ask me," Toph added. "I think she's got something to hide."

"You and my brother are two in the same," the water master smiled. "Everyone's got something to hide."

"Some people more then others," the earth master added. Katara nodded slightly. "C'mon let's go find her and the guys. I bet Sokka's found some food."

There was no need to find Jay. She was sitting under the girl's open window listening. No one would ever trust her. Not a single soul. Closing her eyes with slight remorse she stood on her bandaged foot and headed to where she last saw Sokka.

She found the water warrior where she had left him, sitting beside a breakfast wagon, biting off more then he could chew, literally.

"Hi Sokka, Hey Aang," Jay smiled as cheerfully as she could sitting beside the boys and grapping some pastries from the empting cart.

"Hi Jay," Aang smiled as Momo jumped off his shoulder.

"Herro Ray," Sokka smiled, his face too stuffed to talk. He swallowed his mouthful and went to go take another bite to his fruit pie, but Momo beat him too it. The flying lemur grabbed the pastry and fled, not before Sokka came after the animal with his club.

"What's with Sokka?" Toph asked as she and Katara came out of their lodge.

"Momo has his pie," Aang explained.

"How'd I know it'd involve food?" Toph smirked stepping out onto the street. She shrieked and jumped up very animatedly before alighting onto the safety of the grass.

"Toph?" Sokka asked snatching half his food back from Momo. "What's with the flying earthbender?"

"The ground!" Toph shrieked. "It's hollow!"

"Oh it's not hollow young blind girl!" a man said walking up beside the group. Toph didn't look amused at her newly owned title.

_Why must everyone eavesdrop? _She thought bitterly.

"There is a network of tunnels under this town! They were said to be used in times of attack for refugees to hide in! Good thing that those times are over for now!" the traveler smiled whimsically and continued on his way.

"Tunnels?" Katara asked confused.

Toph ventured back onto the street. "Yeah, tunnels, a whole stream of them. Sure be easy to get lost in one of these," Toph muttered. She looked back over at Aang. "C'mon twinkle toes; we got more lessons for today."

"Oh come on Toph!" Aang moaned. "I practiced hard all day yesterday! Can't I take a break?"

"Nope," Toph answered simply. "You're getting a break all during this boat ride and you're practicing hard up until then." Aang moaned as his earthbending teacher took him out for another brutal practice.

"Oh right, you guys are leaving tonight. I guess I better be getting my stuff together," Jay added. "I want to get a head start on walking about three hours before dusk. I'll be seeing you guys around!" Jay smiled walking off to gather her things.

"So Sokka, I guess it's just you and me again," Katara smiled sitting down beside her brother.

"Yeah, I've got stuff to do," Sokka answered getting up and walking off into town, but not before grabbing several more stick of bread and pastries.

Katara rolled her eyes and looked over at Momo beside her. The little lemur brought out a peach from under his wing and offered it to Katara. The waterbender smiled and took the peach from Momo and continued eating, enjoying even the little animal's company.

----

Jay smiled a deep sigh of relief. She liked having the company of Aang and the others, but Jay needed to be with her own people. Just to think, that she could be seeing his old friends after two years made her want to jump for joy. She did in fact.

Traveling down the dirt pathway, she just had to observe all that was around her. She still loved the sense of freedom. The sense that everything around you had life. Jay smiled while looking up into the darkening sky and sat down under a large dogwood tree. She opened her bag and felt each of the items she had. Getting this bag back was the one spot of good luck in a long time. And even when she had washed up on the beach, she found people who could at least remotely understand her. She looked up as the last bit of the sun disappeared and the moon began to rise.

Her mother used to tell her that before the war, you could see the moon and sun up at the same time. That was before even the spirits began to fight. Jay sighed and closed her eyes. _Just for a second…_

Suddenly a deep rumbling woke her up. The moon was now up high above the world staring down. Jay stood up and got into a fighting stance as the rumbling got louder. Staring through her sleep-ridden eyes she caught a glimpse of something off in the distance.

It was a smoke trail, drifting lazily into the sky. Something was coming. It was something fast and deadly. And it was fire nation. Jay gulped. The Avatar was what the fire nation was after. If they had something this big come to get them, Aang and the others might need help. Jay looked around fast. She was the only one here, and the only one who could warn the town. Jay grabbed her bag hastily and began running as fast as she could on her bad foot towards town. She knew what she had to do.

----

alrighty...some action coming into play next chapter it seems! I might not post another chapter for a few days to build suspence! haha. keep r&ring and I'll keep posting!


	8. Fire Rebel

sorry for the wait those who are reading! I've been working on stuff...and i just got back from DC! I developed in this story better toward the end...so some of these action-scenes may be a bit more boring then the ones i've been thinking about on and off for...well...since avatar started! ah well...enjoy! oh and if i make spelling mistakes...just ignore them if you can. I'm can't spell...at all...praises spell check enjoy either way!

-----

"Oh come on! How long does that boat have to take! Its getting dark and we're still waiting!" Sokka grumbled for about the hundredth time.

"Sokka, if you don't shut up, you'll find what its like to be a boat," Toph muttered harshly. Sokka stuck out his tongue at the little earthbender. Toph took the rock she was tossing in between her fingers and threw it at Sokka's head.

"Besides, a boat isn't as reliable as a flying bison," Katara smiled. Aang moaned and stuck his head in between his legs. Katara bit her lower lip at the mistake she made. "Don't worry Aang, we'll get him back." Katara sat beside the monk and put a hand on his shoulder. "Promise."

"You don't know that," Aang mumbled turning around. Katara sighed as they continued to wait. After a few minutes, a large boat could be seen on the horizon.

"Halleluiah," Sokka smiled getting up.

"Sorry kids," the boat man said with the boat getting closer. "I had no idea the boat was this big, we have to go to another port on the outside of town, it's just a short walk."

Sokka and the others moaned, but they walked out of the small fishing town and out to another port.

"Just think it's about a three-day boat trip to Bai Sing Sai and then we can expose the fire nation's dirty little secret!" Sokka said maniacally.

"I'm gunna go crazy on this boat," Toph muttered. She imagined three days of bumping into walls and tripping over people and whimpered.

"You aren't going on any boat."

Everyone spun around to see the speaker of the voice. They really didn't need to though. They could tell the fire princess by the pure venom in her voice.

"What are you doing here?" Sokka yelled.

"Oh please, do you _have _to ask?" Mai pondered slouching slightly on her Salamander.

Azula rolled her eyes. "Listen you little kids. Hand over the Avatar and I won't blow you to bits," she said.

"Yeah right," Toph muttered crossing her arms.

"You trying to get us killed?" Sokka muttered into Toph's ear retrieving his boomerang from its pouch.

"Oh, scary," Mai muttered looking as each of the kids got into bending poses (that is except for Sokka who, you know, doesn't bend.)

Ty Lee just smiled as she saw the water-boy remove his boomerang with his muscular arm. He was just so cute!

"I knew you kids would give me trouble!" the boatman shrieked. "You attract fire nation you do!" With that the man began sprinting off into the direction of town. Azula was quicker then the man. Electricity surged through her fingertips and with one death-strike, she shot.

The boatman had no chance. His hefty frame fell to the ground in a lifeless heap.

"Monster!" Aang shouted whipping his air-staff at Azula in rage. Azula's salamander jumped out of the way with grace.

"You know nothing," Azula smiled as electrical current raced through her finger-tips. Aang and the others stood their ground, ready to face the noble-women. Suddenly a dark figure swooped from the trees, knocking the fire princess from her salamander. Azula stood up swiftly and stared at her attacker. It was a tall lanky girl dressed from head to toe in black. Her face was completely covered except for her hair which was just as black as a raven's feathers, and her eyes which glowed like a rising sun. There was also just a small gap on the ribbon that surrounded her arm. It was on her left shoulder and through the wrapped arm was a tattoo of a blue jay in flight.

The girl met Azula's eyes and muttered darkly. "You fire nation are all killers." The girl sprinted at the princess and tried to punch Azula but she sidestepped and caught her by the back of her pony-tail. There was another tattoo. This one was a fire nation insignia with 'For Good' written underneath it.

"Seems as if you're fire nation too," Azula smiled.

"Rebel," the girl muttered and blasted her on the face. Azula streamlined the fire away. A flying dagger ran through the air and caught the rebel-girl's shirt, sending her into a nearby tree. Mai had decided to join in with the action.

Meanwhile Sokka and the others stood there, just staring with bewildered faces.

"OK," Sokka said. "Is it just me or did they forget about us?"

"Well this is twisted," Toph muttered.

"But look," Katara said. "The rebel is trying to get us to see something."

"She's probably trying to force us into a trap. She's probably working with Zuko's sister!" Sokka shouted.

"No," Aang muttered. "She's getting us to go back to town."

"Where there's probably a whole hoard of fire nation!" Sokka shouted at the monk.

"Anywhere away from _these_ fire-people," Toph said as she began running into the woods toward town. Aang looked to Sokka, who looked to Katara, who looked back at Aang. The four couldn't separate again.

The fire rebel looked as the Avatar and his friends ran into the woods toward town. Good. There, there was a safe place.

"Sorry girls but I've gotta go," the rebel smiled jutting a red and orange flames around her. Azula dampened the flames with a quick drop of her hands. The rebel was gone by then.

"It's a fire trick," Azula muttered. "Search for her." Azula looked where the Avatar had been standing and a growl erupted from her body. "And find the Avatar!"

----

ok...another chapter to come soon! oh and disclaimer again just because I'd like to type at 11 . 

I don't own any of the characters of Avatar...sadly. i just own a keyboard, something resembling a mind and an overactive imagination!

keep the reviews coming people! its what motivates me!


	9. Blue Jay

Aang and the group ran as quick as they could through the forest. They heard the fire princesses' scream pierce the night with dagger-sharpness. "Now what do we do!" Sokka yelled. Several silver blades ran through the air, one nearly chopping through Toph's bun.

"Run faster!" Toph screeched.

"Hey I could have thought of that," Sokka muttered. Suddenly the fire rebel skidded into the gang's pathway, and everyone came to a screeching halt.

"Come on, follow me!" the girl yelled.

"Why should we trust you?" Sokka yelled.

Toph listened to the fire-girl's voice. It was sort of flat-toned with a sort of rasp to it, as though this girl had done nothing but scream her whole life. Yet it showed urgency, and fright, like everyone's was in this situation. Toph had heard this voice before, she knew it, accept this time she just couldn't place it.

Just as Toph continued to ponder this girl, along with the others, a blue lightning blast surged through the air.

"That's why!" the teenager yelled gesturing to the four to follow. The girl seemed to blend into the forest because of her black clothing and hair. She zigzagged through the oaks and pines like a lost dog. She seemed to know her way, but no one was able to be sure. Just as everyone seemed to find something familiar, the big green ocean expanded out in front of them. "Oops," the rebel muttered.

"Oops?" Sokka muttered. "Oops! What do you mean by oops!"

"I think I got turned around," the girl muttered embarrassed.

"Ya think?" Aang muttered.

"Oh I'm an idiot," the rebel muttered.

"Yes," Azula's voice sounded off from behind. "Yes you are." Azula and her cronies stood beside each other, smiling evilly.

"Times up Avatar," Mai muttered posing her arm at Aang. She shot the spears from her arm band. A stream of frozen water came from Katara's satchel, blocking the spears in their path. The water receded and Katara stepped beside Aang.

"If you deal with Aang you mess with all of us," Katara said as Toph and Sokka came up beside them.

"And um, her," Sokka said pointing at the girl in black.

"Blue Jay," the rebel stated getting into a bending pose.

"Excelent," Azula smiled shooting a lightning bolt at the group. Everyone avoided the fiery blast accept for the blind earthbender. Toph stomped down on the ground, sending splintering boulders shooting up from the ground. They spiked five feet up in the air, but sadly neither Mai, Ty Lee nor Azula were hit.

Ty Lee ran towards Sokka with her usual childlike exuberance. This time though, she was even more excited. To her this was another encounter to have with the water tribe boy. Yet, she couldn't put any charm on the boy, not without disobeying Azula. And she did not want to disobey the fire princess on any level. Ty Lee came in contact with the boy and started out with a quick jab to his neck.

"So we meet again eh?" Ty Lee smiled. Who could resist a little flirting? Sokka pulled out his club and swatted it at the pink acrobat. Ty Lee back flipped out of the way while landing gracefully on her left fingertips.

"Someone's acrobatic," Sokka said. "But let's see you dodge this!" Sokka ran at full speed at Ty Lee with his club out in front. Just as he was about to hit Ty Lee's arm, she flipped right over Sokka's back and tapped his shoulder, giggling gaily while doing so. She felt like a little girl at the fire academy all over again.

Toph and Katara dodged more and more of Mai's weaponry, combining both their skills of bending and fighting skills. The girls spun and spiraled earth and water, combining it as if it was one. Mai kept her steps fast and alternating. She kicked sending more showers of spikes. Toph set an earthen dome around her body, but Katara was a second too late. Two of the parchment thin spikes embedded themselves in the young water master's shoulder, causing her to collapse to the ground painfully.

"Katara!" Toph shouted. Toph sent her dome flying at Mai. She continually whipped the earth from the ground and hurled it at the weapon master. Toph jumped backwards, and dug her hands deep into the ground. The little earthbender flipped back upward as she sensed the daggers flying through the air at her body. She felt everything as it passed by in almost slow motion. The gothic friend of Azula's whipped a four-bladed knife from her vest and hurled it at the earthbender with uncanny speed. Toph felt Mai step confidently to the left, and that was when Toph finished off her move.

The two boulders she had conjured hurled themselves at Mai, while Toph expertly dodged the blade. The rocks impaled into Mai's body, sending her flailing into a tree, covered unconsciously in rubble.

Toph smirked satisfied and remembered Katara. The water-tribe girl sat holding her wounds with a bloody hand. Her face was contorted in pain, but she tried hard not to show it. Toph reached over and hesitantly ripped the spears from Katara's flesh. Katara moaned but she was able to bend the water around her shoulder to heal the wound before the real pain set in.

"You OK?" Toph asked. Katara nodded as the pain evaporated.

"I think so," she muttered. Toph smiled.

"Then come on, let's kick some fire bender ass," Toph smiled continued. Katara laughed at the earthbender. The twelve-year-old offered a hand and helped her fourteen-year-old friend to her feet and the two girls set off to fight another fight.

The Blue Jay alighted gently onto the floor after coming out of a firebending move. Aang followed suit with a series of airbending spirals. As the avatar continued bending, the rebel recharged her bending abilities then high-kicked a flare at the princess. Azula grabbed the rebel's foot and pushed it away, sending the girl backwards.

"For a firebending rebel, you aren't that good." Azula smiled and sent another lightning bolt in the rebel's direction. Aang whipped a string of water at the princess, and froze it around her. Azula broke free with little effort. Toph and Katara came into step by the fire rebel.

"Earthbender," the Blue Jay muttered standing up. Toph looked offended in an out-of-there kind of way.

"The _Earthbender _has a name," Toph muttered.

"Ya-huh," the rebel agreed quickly. "Can you make a wall for us to get outta here?"

"Can a cat monkey swim?" Toph asked sarcastically.

"Can it?" Katara asked quizzically. Toph raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Actually I don't think it can," the teenage fire rebel answered from behind her mask. Toph rolled her never-seeing eyes and shot a thick wall of earth that separated Aang, Katara, Toph and the fire rebel from Azula her friends. "Run," the girl muttered. She and the others ran off into the forest.

"Find them," Azula barked, seeing her friends come toward her. Mai was covered in debris and Ty Lee had on her ever flowing smile. The two obeyed and Azula followed her friends into the forest. The three called their salamanders and headed off into different directions.

"Are they gone?" Toph asked.

"I can't see, I've got a branch in the way," Aang answered sticking his head out from his perch in a tree. The three girls stuck their heads out in suit.

"You know, that was a Sokka plan, deciding to hide in the trees," Toph laughed.

"Oh my god Sokka!" Katara yelled. "We left him!"

"No you didn't," Sokka stuck his head out from a branch above the others.

"See, told you it was a Sokka plan," Toph smiled leaping from the branch and softening her blow with earthbending. Aang alighted down with the aid of airbending and Katara, Sokka, and the rebel-girl shimmied down the tree themselves.

"Come on, I know a safe place," the Blue Jay muttered.

"Why should we trust you?" Sokka asked. "We don't know who you are; you've got a lousy sense of direction and besides, your fire nation!" The girl stopped in her tracks and turned around to face Sokka.

"I may be fire nation," she uttered coming in close contact with Sokka. She turned around and pointed to a tattoo on the back of her neck. It was a fire nation insignia, with 'for good' written underneath it. "I may be fire nation but according to that, I'm not with them." The Blue Jay turned around and ushered for the others to follow with a gloved hand. "Follow me if you don't want Azula and her cronies coming back," she shouted. Aang and his friends exchanged weary glances.

"Oh and by the way," Jay turned back around. "They probably just heard me shouting."

Sokka was the first to follow, then Katara, then Aang, and finally Toph.

_And you do know me, _the Blue Jay thought feeling the others following behind. _You just don't know you know me. _

----

Zuko stared uncertainty at the horizon line, the grass around him rippling and swishing like the waves on a beach. The sun had been down for nearly half an hour now. His bending was diminishing as the sun got farther and farther away. That was the sort of emptiness that all firebenders felt at this time of day.

Zuko sighed. His uncle was going to get directions to Ba Sing Se on his own and Zuko was worried. His uncle was in pain, he had been hit by Azula, and yet the old man still wanted to keep going.

Sometimes Zuko thought that his uncle was more like himself then his own father was. Then he wouldn't be related to Azula. Zuko's lips turned up in a smirk. Not being related to Azula…bliss.

The Prince pulled out his broadswords and began practicing routines of his own design. Most fire bender's he had known practiced their fire bending for relaxation, or to burn off steam, literally. Zuko had been one of those people. Now, he found more comfort in practicing with his swords. It was that constant motion, the fighting with something cool in your hands. Zuko swung the swords around, his arms mirroring each other as they spun and twisted his weapons. He turned quickly and sliced the grass with the edge of a blade. He smirked again, and then saw his uncle sitting on a log, smiling ear to ear.

The smile on the banished prince vanished almost instantly as he replaced the broadswords to their sheath.

"You always have been interested in blades Prince Zuko," Iroh smiled standing. Zuko smirked again. Even when his uncle knew that Zuko was no longer a prince, he still referred to him as one. He gave him hope.

Iroh turned back around to face the chocobo and he patted its side. "Ba Sing Se is only a few miles to the north, we should be able to get there in a day or so." Iroh mounted the chocobo with Zuko following. The Dragon of the West lightly kicked the bird horse in its side and it began trotting off.

"If Zhao knew, don't you think I would?" Iroh questioned with a smile turning his nephew. Zuko looked taken aback, but his uncle did not press the subject. He quietly closed his eyes as his mind drifted in the spring breeze. Somehow he always thought that his uncle knew all his secrets…

----

You know, I really bet that Iroh does know that Zuko's the Blue Spirit, its one of those family-knows everything kinda thing. So anyway, this is probably my last chapter for a while, I'm starting school tomarrow, but I'm sure I'll find some time imbetween swimming, homework, school, comfermation classes, and some kind of a life... but I do hope I can get some more chapters done though! Thanks for all the replies I've gotten people! I've really appreciatted it.


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